Question about Confession

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rms1959

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I’m a middle aged Catholic who has returned to the Church after many years lapsed. My question is this: Is it inherently sinful to seek out the priest at my parish who I believe will be easiest on me given the fact that it’s been 30 years since my last confession? I feel like i’m a youngster again and am avoiding the “tough priest” at my old parish. Please advise
 
rms1959 said:
I’m a middle aged Catholic who has returned to the Church after many years lapsed. My question is this: Is it inherently sinful to seek out the priest at my parish who I believe will be easiest on me given the fact that it’s been 30 years since my last confession? I feel like i’m a youngster again and am avoiding the “tough priest” at my old parish. Please advise
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Welcome home!! 👍

What’s important is to approach the sacrament of reconciliation when you need to. If going to one priest rather than another puts you more at ease and makes it easier for you to go, there’s certainly no problem with that.

Catholics are free to make their confession to any priest who has the proper faculties.
 
rms1959 said:
I’m a middle aged Catholic who has returned to the Church after many years lapsed. My question is this: Is it inherently sinful to seek out the priest at my parish who I believe will be easiest on me given the fact that it’s been 30 years since my last confession? I feel like i’m a youngster again and am avoiding the “tough priest” at my old parish. Please advise
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I am a lay person, so I can’t truly answer this question as a priest or bishop would. I would advise, though, that you talk to the priest you are most comfortable with to talk to. You may see this as being the “easy” one, but, most likely, given your desire to come back and the honesty in your post, you are talking about the one you are most comfortable with.

I would not just show up in confession, by the way. I think you need to get in touch with him and have a sit down meeting about your situation. Tell him from your heart, where you are. Tell him how you feel. Tell him your worries. Listen to what he has to say. Follow his advice.

Then, at the time of your Confession, do a fearless inventory of your life since your last Confession. Contemplate all that you have done, and why you did it. Share this with him in the confessional. After receiving Absolution, make sure to move everything aside in your life to complete your Penance.

After Confession, take Communion … all is well!👍

I’ll say some prayers for ya!
 
I can almost guarantee you that whatever priest you go to will be easy on you. Priests are so happy to welcome someone back after a long absence that they are all encouragement and no scolding.

You are a big fish, and they’re all thrilled to reel one in.

The only thing you could do that would be sinful would be to hide any sin in confession out of shame or fear or whatever. As long as you are completely honest with whichever priest you choose, you are just fine.

God bless you, and welcome home!

Betsy
 
Pick a preist that you would feel comfortable with. That is not sinful. The only thing sinful you count do is willfully lie, omit important details or hide sins in the confessional. If you try to be as honest and complete as possible, you’ll be good.
 
Welcome Home! I came back a little over a year ago and went into the confessional after decades. I was apprehensive. After I confessed as best I could, sobbing, I wondered if the priest wasn’t going to just kick me out. Instead I heard the most gentle, kind, forgiving words. “The Lord loves a repentant sinner.” I will never forget the intonnation he used on the word “loves”. There was only mercy, love and forgiveness.
❤️
 
I just returned to the Church and made my first confession in 38 years. I can almost guarantee that any priest you go to will be overjoyed to have you in his confessional, welcoming you back with open arms. Anything you have to tell him, you can be sure he has heard many, many times before. No priest will be hostile to anything you confess.

If you’re anything like me, you will find confession to be a very emotional experience. After carrying around sin for 38 years, I truly felt like a new person afterwards. As soon as I started to say “Bless Me Father” the tears started to flow, and I couldn’t stop until I finished.

God bless you, and welcome home!

Mary
 
Choose a priest you’re comfortable with. Certainly I’ve come across many different styles among the confessors I’ve been to, so clearly different horses will suit different courses. Nonetheless all offer the same sacrament.

Do get in touch beforehand, make an appointment to meet elsewhere if you don’t like the idea of ‘the box’. Tell the priest you wish to come back to the sacrament after a long while away, so he’ll know to allow a bit of extra time.

Take your time to do a good inventory of your conscience. Do your best but remember it’s not a test of memory. It may be best to focus at this point mainly on the mortal sins, and those venial ones which are most troubling you currently. Write it all down if it helps your memory (it’s fun to destroy the list afterwards!)

And pray - pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to make a sincere confession. And don’t forget to thank Him afterwards too 😉
 
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